I'm higher on tools than most...
There are a few potentially great ones from the 2004 draft, like Tui, Nelson, Diamond, Bailey, and Rogers that I'm tempted to put near the list, but I think it's too early for a top-25.

No one mentioned Ryan Howard on any list. anytime you hit 48 homers in one full season of ball is worth mentioning. Phillies should have tried to move him or Thome during this off season. He is not just a slugger, hits for average as well.

Absolutely Adequate wrote:I'm stopping at 10, because I'm in a league with a bunch of people that frequent the cafe. I will say, however, that I think Felix Hernandez will not be the pitcher most here think he will be.

I'm stopping at 10, because I'm in a league with a bunch of people that frequent the cafe. I will say, however, that I think Felix Hernandez will not be the pitcher most here think he will be.

LOL, Scott Baker at #8? Are you serious? This guy may not even be in most top 100's, and definitely doesn't project to be an ace.

What don't you like about an 18 year old with 3 plus-plus pitch, and one solid to plus pitch? You make an outrageous prediction and give absolutely no explanation.

Well, let's see. I don't like Hernandez's throwing motion, mostly. I think he will get injured before he becomes a major league ace. And I think that he'll turn into one of those guys that's always getting hurt. It's based on his motion.

As for Baker, what's not to like? He's got a fastball that - although it peaks in the mid-90's - keeps getting a little faster each year. He has exceptional control. In 70 innings in Double-A last year he walked 13 (and struck out 72). He's got a great slider, change, fastball and curve and he knows how to mix them up like a Greg Maddux. He's good, believe you me.

I'm stopping at 10, because I'm in a league with a bunch of people that frequent the cafe. I will say, however, that I think Felix Hernandez will not be the pitcher most here think he will be.

LOL, Scott Baker at #8? Are you serious? This guy may not even be in most top 100's, and definitely doesn't project to be an ace.

What don't you like about an 18 year old with 3 plus-plus pitch, and one solid to plus pitch? You make an outrageous prediction and give absolutely no explanation.

Well, let's see. I don't like Hernandez's throwing motion, mostly. I think he will get injured before he becomes a major league ace. And I think that he'll turn into one of those guys that's always getting hurt. It's based on his motion.

As for Baker, what's not to like? He's got a fastball that - although it peaks in the mid-90's - keeps getting a little faster each year. He has exceptional control. In 70 innings in Double-A last year he walked 13 (and struck out 72). He's got a great slider, change, fastball and curve and he knows how to mix them up like a Greg Maddux. He's good, believe you me.

Hear! Hear!

David Luciani over at baseballnotebook.com has Baker as his #1 prospect AL pitcher:

"1. SCOTT BAKER, MINNESOTA: The former Oklahoma State University pitcher is already blessed with exceptional control. Minnesota's second round pick in the 2003 draft, I know I've rated him higher than virtually every other publication, as I have sometimes done with other number one rated picks in previous years. He struggled after moving up to Triple-A Rochester in 2004, which actually helps him go a bit unnoticed, and he's probably going to start the season at that level but prior to that, he was eating up Double-A hitters, allowing just 44 hits in 70.1 innings while walking 13 and striking out 72, this all over 10 games started. Some other publications have said that he doesn't have "dominant" stuff and I suspect this is because his strikeout numbers have "only" been around one per inning, which is actually below your typical top so-called top prospect. In fact, Baker's velocity, which still isn't in his prime, has peaked in the mid to high nineties on occasion and what impresses me about him is how well he mixes up his pitches. He already has a big league slider and curve and he throws every pitch for strikes and changes speeds as well as any pitcher I've seen in the minors in the past couple of years. Definitely underrated, Baker's a rare sleeper that takes my number one prospect spot in the American League this year."